Ark. officials hold hearing on insurance expansion

July 2, 2013

LITTLE ROCK â€” Arkansas officials are holding a public hearing on the state's plan to use federal Medicaid money to purchase private insurance for thousands of low-income residents.

The Department of Human Services on Tuesday planned to hold a hearing on the "private option" plan to expand insurance coverage in the state. Lawmakers approved the plan this year, but it still must get final clearance from the federal government.

The plan was touted as an alternative to expanding Medicaid's enrollment under the federal health care law.

The hearing is the first of two the state plans on holding before submitting its application to the federal government. Tuesday's hearing will be held at the I. Dodd Wilson Building at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. It begins at 10 a.m.